Ball point fountain pen



Jan. 1, l952 H. c. FRENTZEL BALL POINT FOUNTAIN PEN Filed Nov. 13, 1945 INVENTOA Cene mw QN s A N w @im A TTORNEYS.

Patented Jan. l, 1952 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 2,580,753 BALL iioNi FOUNTAIN PEN 'rien-lian o; Frenzel, Milwaukee, wis., assigner a 'rile Parker ren company, Janesville, wie., a

corporation of Wisconsin Application novemberA 13, 1945, serial Nb. 627,996

9 claims. `(o1. maniacs) l This invention relates to writing instruments of the kind wherein the writing point is propellable out of and retractable back into the holder, and it has to do especially with instru'- nients of that character which are pushbutton operated. More particularly, Ithe invention pertains to a ball-'point Writing instrument where'-v in the ball is retracted into the holder when not in use and is propellable out of the holder into Writing positionY by depressing a pushbutto'n'.

Because the ink in a ball-point writing -in` strument will not leak out, it is feasible to carry such an instrument point 'down and to dispense with the detachable cap which ordinarily is supplied with pocket-type fountain pens. However, there usually is on the ball point of such an instrument a modicum of ink which could s'oil the clothing, and for that reason it practically is necessary, if the cap is to be dispensed with, to provide for retracting the point into the barrel before returning the instrument to the pocket..

As a rule, the owner of a ball-point writing instrument will remember to retract the point before p'ocketing the instrument, but there lare some users who occasionally may be inclined to forget, and it is oneof the primary objects of this invention to discourage such forgetfulness. To that end the present invention provides a propel-retract mechanism which substantially prevents the Writing instrument being clipped to ones pocket unless, and until, the point has been retracted-thus serving as an ever continuing reminder which quickly causes the user to foin and retain the habit of retractng the point. This is accomplished by providing a release button which, when the ball point is in its projected position, constitutes an obstruction to use of the pocket clip, but offers no such obstruction whenrdepressed-#which condition obtains when the ballpoint is retracted.

Another object of this invention is to provide a ball-point writing instrument having push-Y button operated propelretract mechanism of simple and rugged design which not only can be manufactured economically but can 'be relied upon to give troublefree performance.

In the drawing which accompanies this speciiioation:

Figure 1 is a longitudinal sectional view illustrating a ball point Writing instrument according to a preferred embodiment of the invention-:- the ball point being shown retracted;

Fig. 2 is a transverse sectional view taken along line 2"-j 2 of Fig. 1';

ne. s is a. longitudinal s'c'tlonaiview similar' 2 to Fig. 1' but snowingtne aan 'point in its projoted or Iwriting position;

Fig; 4 is a transverse sectional view taken along Fig. 5 is a fragmentary sectional View taken at 5 5 of Fig. 3; and

Figl 6 is a fragmentary elevational View of the rear end portion of Fig. 3, taken at right angles thereto.

FThe assemblyk comprises an elongate hollow barrel l0 having a bore ll extending from end to end. Housed within barrel I0 and reciprocable lengthwise thereof is a so-called ballande-cartridge unit l2 which comprises a Writin g ball i3, a feed tube I4 and an ink cartridge i containing a viscous paste-like ink which is fedas needed through feed tube lll to the back surface of ball I3. Inside the ink cartridge and freely fitting the bore vthereof is a relatively large metal ball I6l which functions in part as a weight to force the ink forward and in part as a sealing means to prevent leakage of ink rearwadly. Also, within cartridge l5 and at the back of ball Hi is a xedplug Il having an axial aperture l'8 of very small diameter. lThis aperture allows air to enter the ink chamber thereby preventing formation of a partial vacuum as the ink is fed out.A

Atr the rear of and in contact with unit I2 is a plunger comprising @tubular member I9 and a pushbutton memberv 20, the rear end of which projects from thebarrel and constitutes a manually operable pushbutton;

A coil spring 2l continuously urges the ballandicatridg'e unit I2, together with plunger me-nbersl i9 and 20,backwardly toward the positions in which those elements arevs'hown in Fig. 1. ByV depressing pu'shbutton 20, the plunger and `ba-1l=and-"cartridge unit 'are moved forwardly in tnebarrel against the opposition of spring 2|', and ball point i3 is propelled out of the barrel from the position shown in Fig. 1 to that shown in Fig.

Backward movement of the balleand-cartridge unit and plunger is limited by a screw bushing 22 `therfor'vv'z'irdend vof which is adapted to engage a shoulder' `2ilafforined on pushbutton meinberlz'd as shown in Fig'. 1.

Flu-nger' i9A may lbe' an integral part of the bsll-aiid-'a-Itdge unit, but I prefer t0 make this a separate part as shown.

A pocket clip 23 of conventional design i's attached tothe'rear of barrel I0 by means of vbushing 2,2 and comprises a resilient arm pointing to#y Ward the front end of the instrument and having its free end normally pressed against the side of the barrel.

Disposed within barrel I is a member 24 constituting both latch means and a release button. Member 24 is rectangular in form as viewed in Fig. 6 and has the cross sectional configuration illustrated in Figs. 2 and 4, the outer portion 24a being relatively narrower than the inner portion 24h. Barrel l0 has a rectangular side opening 25 dimensioned to slidably fit the narrow outer portion of member 24.

Plunger I9 has an elongate opening 26, best shown in Fig. 5, in registration with member 24 and having a wide rear portion 26a and a nar` rower forward portion 26h. The latter is wide enough only to pass the narrow outer portion 24a of member 24, as illustrated in Fig. 2, while the wider portion 26a of opening 2 6 is wide enough to receive the wide inner portion 24h of member 24.

A leaf spring 21 is connected to member 24 with its free ends bearing against the interior surface of barrel IU. A slot 28 is provided in plunger I9 to clear spring 21 and permit movement of the plunger without interfering with said spring.

With the plunger in the retracted position of Fig. 1 member 24 is held in the depressed position shown, by reason of the fact that portion 26h of opening 26 is too narrow to pass the wide inner portion of member 24. This is clearly illustrated in Fig. 2.

When pushbutton 20 is depressed to propel the writing point forwardly plunger I9 also moves fodwardly, carrying with it the opening 26 to the position shown in Fig. 3 wherein the portion 26a of opening 26 is fully in registration with member 24, thus allowing member 24 to be forced outwardly by spring 21. In the latter position member 24 operates as a latch, holding the plunger in its forward position by virtue of the fact that the wide inner portion 24h of member 24 cannot enter the narrow portion 26h of opening 26.

The plunger and ball-and-cartridge unit is releasable for retraction by spring 2l by simply depressing release button member 24. This moves the narrow outer portion 24a of member 24 into alignment with the narrow portion 26h of opening 26'and thus permits the plunger to retract.

It will be seen from examination of Fig. l that when the ball point is retracted, the outer end of release button 24 is flush with the outer surface of the barrel and constitutes no impediment to normal use of pocket clip 23. On the other hand, it will be seen from examination of Fig. 3 that when the ball point is in its projected position, the outer end of the release button constitutes an obstacle to normal use of the pocket clip. Consequently if a user forgets to depress the release button before returning the writing instrument to his pocket he will find that he cannot use the pocket clip and he will accordingly be reminded to retract the writing point.

I claim:

l. In a writing instrument, an elongate, hollow barrel having a bore terminating at its front end, a writing point propellable out of and alter? nately retractable into said bore, a plunger mounted in said barrel and reciprocable lengthwise thereof for propelling said writing point, a spring for retracting said plunger and writing point, the rear end of said plunger projecting from said barrel to form a manually operable pushbutton, a pocket clip attached to the back 4 end of said barrel and comprising a spring arm projecting forwardly along said barrel, said barrel having a lateral opening in front of and immediately adjacent the forward end of said clip, and a latch mechanism for releasably holding said plunger in its forward position, said latch mechanism comprising a release button disposed, in part, within said plunger and projecting outwardly and laterally therefrom through said lateral opening in the barrel, said opening being dimensioned to prevent movement of said release button relatively to said barrel except in the direction normal to its length, the transverse cross-section of said release button Apresenting a relatively narrow outer portion and a relatively wide adjoining inner portion, said plunger having an elongate slot in registration with said opening, the forward portion of said slot being wide enough to pass only the narrow outer portion of said release button, the rear portion of said slot being wide enough to pass the wider inner portion of said release button, and a spring continuously urging said release button outwardly.

2. In a ball-point writing instrument an elongate, hollow barrel having a bore terminating at its front end, a ball-and-cartridge unit housed in said barrel and reciprocable lengthwise thereof, said unit including a ball point and an ink cartridge, a plunger disposed within said barrel at t he rear of said unit and reciprocable lengthwise of said barrel to propel said unit forwardly, a spring for retracting said unit and plunger, a pushbutton secured to the rear end of said plunger and projecting out of the rear of said barrel, Said pushbutton being manually operable to propel said plunger and unit forwardly against the opposition of said retracting spring, a pocket clip attached to the back end of said barrel and comprising a spring arm projecting forwardly along said barrel, and latch means for releasably holding said plunger and unit in their forward positions, said latch means comprising a release button disposed, in part, within said barrel and located immediately forward of said pocket clip for movement between a depressed position latching said plunger and unit in forwardly propelled position and wherein the outer surface of said release button is substantially flush with the outer wall of said barrel and said button constitutes no impediment to the use of said clip and an outwardly projected position extending across and blocking the entrance to said clip wherein said plunger and unit are released for retraction and said release button constitutes an v impediment to the use of said clip, and spring lbarrel at the rear of said unit and reciprocable lengthwise of said barrel to propel said unit forwardly, a spring for retracting said unit and plunger, a pushbutton secured to the rear end of said plunger and projecting out of the rear of said barrel, said pushbutton being manually operable to propel said plunger and unit forwardly 'against the opposition of said retracting spring,

a pocket clip attached to the back end of said barrel and comprising a spring arm projecting forwardly along said barrel, a release buttonl disposed, in part, `within said plunger and movable radially' thereof, said barrel having a Iateialy opening immediately forward of saidy pocketlclip in Which the o'ter portion only of Said-I release button has a sliding nt, the inner portion of said release button being too large to enter 'said barrel opening, said plunger having a slot through which said release button passes, said 'slot ex` tending lengthwise of said plunger,l the back portion of said slot being wide enough tov pass the inner portiori'of4 vsaid. release button, the forward portion of said slot being wide enough to pass only the outer portion of said release button, said slot being so proportioned that when said plunger is in its retracted position the" narrow forward portion of said( slot embraces said release button and holds the latter depressed whereas the wider back portion of said slot ein-"- bracessaid release button when said plunger is in its forward position, and a spring continuously urging said release button outwardly, said release button being eiifectve, when in its outward position only, as an impediment to the use ofsad pocket clip.

4. In a ball-point writing instrument, an elongate, hollow barrel having a bore terminating at its front end, a ball-and-cartridge unit housed in said barrel and reciprocable lengthwise thereof, said unit comprising a ball point and an ink cartridge, a. tubular plunger disposed within said barrel at the rear of said unit and reciprocable lengthwise of said `barrel to propel said unit forwardly, a spring for retracting said unit and plunger, a pushbutton secured to the rear end of said plunger and projecting out of the rear of said barrel, said pushbutton being manually operable to propel said plunger and unit forwardly against the opposition of said retracting spring, a pocket clip attached to the back end of said barrel and comprising a spring arm projecting forwardly along said barrel, a release button disposed in part within said plunger and movable radially thereof, said barrel having a lateral opening immediately forward of said pocket clip in which the outer portion only of said release button has a sliding t, the inner portion of said release button being too large to enter said barrel opening, said plunger having a slot through which said release button passes, said slot extending lengthwise of said plunger, the back portion of said slot being wide enough to pass the inner portion of said release button, the forward portion of said slot being wide enough to pass only the outer portion of said release button, said slot being so proportioned that when said plunger is in its retracted position the narrow forward portion of said slot embraces said release button and holds the latter depressed whereas the wider back portion of said slot embraces said release button when said plunger is in its forward position, and a semi-elliptic type leaf spring connected at its mid-point to said release button and continuously urging said release button outwardly, said release button being effective, when in its outward position only, as an impediment to the use of said pocket clip, said plunger having a second slot extending lengthwise thereof and disposed diametrically opposite said first slot, the free ends of said leaf spring extending through said second slot into contact vwith the interior surface of said barrel, said second slot being long enough to permit reciprocation of said plunger without interfering with said leaf spring.

5. A ball-point writing instrument comprising a barrel, a unit slidably mounted in said barrel be propelled and retracted? through the adjacent` forward end of lsaid bareL- and ink feed I'rieazis eoimeetiiigsaidreservoir and said writing point, aFket cl-ipQ/riahsrf op'el-Iiiig and 'reti/latitingv said unit, and a 'blocking member' mounted in the barrel laterally movable with respect thereto betweeny a position blocking the entrance to 'said clip to render 'Said filipv inaccessiblefr clippingy actionand prevent use thereofy and a position' removed from saidv clip entrance to redsad clip' acS'Sbli 6. A ball-point writing instrument Comprising a barrel, an assemblyl slidably i'riouiit'ed` in said barl'el'and including an ili'rvir, a4v ball Writing point at the forward ef'd of said assembly adapted to be propelled and retracted through @head1-acme forward end of. saia'barrei, inkn reedA means' connecting said reservoir and said writ-'- ing point, and a manually depressible pushbutton at the rear end of saidbarrei iorprcpelling said assembly' to project said vwriting point from said barrel, spring means constantly urging said assembly toward retracted position wherein said writing point is concealed in said barrel, a pocket clip having an entrance and means actuated by depression of said pushbutton forreleasably holding said assembly in propelled position, said holding means including a manually depressible latch element movable between an active position latching said assembly in propelled position and wherein a portion of said latch element projects laterally from said barrel across and closely adjacent the entrance of said clip and obstructs the use of said clip and a depressed inactive position away from said clip entrance wherein said assembly is released for retraction by said first spring means, and spring means constantly urging said latch element toward active latching position.

7. A ball-point writing instrument comprising a barrel, a unit slidably mounted in said barrel and including an ink reservoir, a ball writing point at the forward end of said unit adapted to be propelled and retracted through the adjacent forward end of said barrel, and ink feed means connecting said reservoir and said writing point, spring means constantly urging said unit toward retracted position wherein said writing point is concealed in said barrel, means for propelling said unit to project said writing point from said barrel, a pocket clip having at least a free end portion exteriorly of said barrel, and means for releasably holding said unit in propelled position, said holding-means including a blocking member projectable laterally from said barrel adjacent and into position holding said unit projected in position in front of and closely adjacent said free clip end to obstruct said clip and render it inaccessible for clipping use in the propelled position of said unit and manually depressible out of said holding and obstructing position and away from the clip end to release said unit for return to retracted position by said spring means and to render said clip accessible, and spring means urging said blocking member toward holding and obstructing position.

8. A ball-point writing instrument comprising a barrel, a writing unit slidable in said barrel and including a writing element at the forward end of said unit and positioned to be propelled and retracted through the forward end of said barrel, spring means constantly urging said unit toward retracted position, a. pocket clip extending along saidy barrel and having a. free end for engaging a pocket piece, a manually depressible clip blocking element movable between a first projecting position wherein it extends before and blocks the free end of said clip, rendering said clip inaccessible for clipping, and a second, depressed position away from said clip end whereby said clip is accessible for clipping, a spring yieldably urging said projected element toward blocking position and means for propelling said unit including a latch element for releasably latching said clip blocking element ink its depressed position.

9. A ball-point writing instrument comprising a barrel, a writing unit slidable in said barrel and including a writing element at the forward end of said unit positioned to be propelled and retracted through the forward end of said barrel, spring means constantly urging said unit toward retracted position, a pocket clip element extending along said barrel and having a free end for engaging a pocket piece with at least the tip of said free end spaced from said barrel, a clip blocking element, means mounting said blocking element for'movement between a rst position extending across the space between said tip and said barrel and obstructing said space and a second position away from said space, said blocking element being manually depressible into said second position, a depressible push button for pr0 peiling said unit, and means actuated by said push button for moving said blocking element to its first position.

. HERMAN C. FRENTZEL.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the ille of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 365,747 Hoffman June 28, 1887 378,897 Myers Mar 6, 1888 1,583,718 Hudson May 4, 1926 1,585,843 Fitch May 25, 1926 2,398,548 Moore Apr. 16, 1946 2,400,679 Biro May 21, 1946 

